Food Act 2014 fees and charges

Charges will vary

Under the Food Act, businesses need to pay costs of:

• registering
• getting checked (known as being verified)
• evaluation, if using a custom Food Control Plan. 
• making changes to your registration details
• renewing your registration.

These costs vary depending on the level of risk involved in your food business.

Not all the fees listed on this page may apply to you and you may have to pay other charges not listed here.

Registration costs

Depending on your business structure, you'll be registering either with:

• MPI
• your local council.

You must register with your local council if your business:

• does not require a custom Food Control Plan 
• is based in only one council district
• is an online or a mobile business (such as a market stall or a food truck). In these cases, you must register with the council where your business is based.

Councils set their own fees. Contact them directly to find out how much they charge.

Contact your local council – LGNZ

If you operate from fixed places (shops or packing houses) in more than one council area, you have a choice who to register with.

You can either:

• register each place separately with each local council
• register them all as a group with MPI.

MPI registration fees are shown in the table.

MPI registration fees

Note: In addition to the application fee above, an assessment time fee based on an hourly rate of $155.25 (incl. GST) per hour or $38.81 (incl. GST) per 15 minutes may be charged in instances where applications take much longer to process than expected (such as complex applications).

Verification frequency

How often you get checked will depend on whether you are a high- or low-risk business, as well as how you manage food safety. Those who are doing well, will be checked less frequently.

• Check this guide to find out more about verifications and likely costs

Evaluation costs

Custom Food Control Plans need to be independently evaluated before registration. Independent evaluators set their own fees.

• Find an evaluator

Domestic food business levy

The domestic food business levy is payable for each site that the business has identified and registered under the Food Act 2014. The full levy comes into force over the 3 years from 1 July 2025.

Levies will be collected (on behalf of MPI) by territorial authorities (local councils) for businesses that are registered through them. Territorial authorities can add an administrative charge of up to $11.00 ($12.65 incl GST) to cover their costs of collection.

Levies for business that are registered through MPI will be collected by MPI.

Making changes to your registration

From time to time you will need to make changes to your registration. The cost to make a change to your registration will depend on:

• the type of change
• whether you are a high- or low-risk business.

Significant changes to Custom Food Control Plans may need to be independently evaluated before registration. Independent evaluators set their own fees.

Find out more

• Food (Fees and Charges) Regulations 2015 – NZ Legislation website

Who to contact

If you have questions about MPI's fees and charges, email info@mpi.govt.nz